Reflected Fate
by Elillierose
Summary: A what-if story. A what-if exploring the possible, unfortunate, outcome of the battle with Link's shadow. 3rd fic in my 10 fic giveaway


**Beta read by: SinikkavonWolperting and istoleyourcheesecake**

 **Third of the ten fics for my 500 follower giveaway on Tumblr. I do these every 100 followers and am currently hosting the next if any are interested. Tumblr name is same as my name on here. C:**

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A chill traveled down the length of his spine as his breaths stilled. Bright eyes flicked from one side of the room to the other searching for the cause of the uneasiness that settled in his core. He could feel a presence near, could sense the prying eyes of another watching him as he took wary steps farther in. Link could see nothing, or, not as long as the dense mist had anything to do with it. The door was just on the other side, easily visible despite the fog.

Forcing himself to take another deep breath, he held it in his chest as he forced his steps to quicken and his posture to straighten. Almost at the tree - the only other thing that occupied the area - a hitch interrupted his stride and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Mouth dry, and eyes widening, he jerked his attention around, expecting to find another there. But, as expected, there was no one. He blinked heavily, trying to clear his mind as well as his vision.

It was this damn mist

It was playing tricks on his mind.

Shaking it off, heart still hammering against his ribs, Link slowly turned back around. However, his guard was as alert and vigilant as ever. He didn't dare relax, didn't want to take his attention away from that point. But...he had to keep going. There wasn't much left to do here, and he was too far to turn back now. Not that he had a choice in the matter anyway. Muscles now painfully tense, hands balled into tight fists at his sides, the young man willed his legs to continue moving. Each step echoed around him, every splash resonating with another, quieter splash.

Something was definitely in there with him, he knew it. If only it would show itself already. Keeping his eyes on the door, every other fiber of his being was focused on everything around him. His left hand raised slowly, preparing to reach for his blade at a moment's notice should the need arise. Swallowing thickly, his free hand reached forward for the door. However, his touch never fell upon it as he froze on the spot. His face was cast downward, gaze scanning the water that no longer mirrored his reflection. That was weird...the door could be seen, as well as Navi, then why wasn't hi-

"Watch out!"

He barely had time to spin around, and even so, his foot threatened to slip out from underneath him with the momentum. The only thing keeping him from tumbling over was his back slamming against the wall as a blackened and opaque blade grated against his own. His teeth bared as a low frustrated and pained hiss seeped out. Air was expelled from his lungs with the attack.

Against the force of the other's attack, his mind took a moment to register what he was looking at, his eyes struggled to venture aware from those red orbs staring right through him. There was no time to question what the hell was going on, slowly, the enemies sword was drawing closer. With a solid shove, Link managed to cause the other to stagger back. It wasn't by much, but it was enough for him to get out of the corner he had found himself in.

He took a step to his left, hands gripping the hilt of his weapon to the point of his joints aching. With each footfall placed, the other mirrored it nearly perfectly. He wasn't even sure he was breathing anymore, all of his body's efforts was placed solely on focusing on his foe. It looked identical to him, nearly an unflawed replica of himself. Clenching his jaw, he readjusted his sword and lunged forward, knowing he didn't have time to stand around and wonder what was going on. It was an illusion, a trick of the mind; he couldn't let it psyche him out so easily.

It was in his way, and like everything else, he'd just have to cut through it. With a smirk to himself, he jabbed forward. His expression instantly faltered as his shadowed self wisped from view...like vapor. Confused, he went to draw back. Before he had a chance to react, a stinging pain flared over his right shoulder as a razor chill glanced over it.

He had to fight the urge to drop his sword and clutch at the fresh wound. Warm blood trailed down the length of his arm, contrasting heavily with the frigid air. Drops splashed into shallow pool beneath him as his inhales increased in speed. Teeth bore into his bottom lip against the burning sensation radiating down his arm. His shield pulled on him, further aggravating his shoulder, but he ignored it the best he could and held it high as he turned around.

Ok, so maybe he was wrong about it just being an illusion. Even now, the other was copying his movements, each and every slight shift, it repeated. Only when he attacked, did it veer from his actions and counter it. One slash after another, one evasion at a time, his shadow countered with precise accuracy and incredible speed. It was like it knew everything he was going to do a split second before he did. Constantly a step ahead of him, he couldn't catch it off guard. It was as if...as if it knew him better than he did.

No, he was letting it get to him too much; he was losing his cool too quickly over this, he was making stupid mistakes, acting too rashly and desperately. His heart fluttering against his ribs was the telltale sign of his waning composure. He shoved all the stings and pains out of mind for the time being, but it was too much to completely ignore. His body was already protesting heavily with his efforts to stay upright, let alone continuing to struggle to fight.

His breaths were soon coming out in shallow pants, the water at his feet stuttered as he stumbled to the side and his blade shuddered in his shaking grasp. He was getting nowhere like this. He was losing blood quickly and his opponent didn't have a scratch on him. But, it wasn't solid, how was he supposed to fight something that didn't have a physical form. His body wasn't solid, but his sword sure as hell was. The pain and cold encompassing him was all too real, and it was swiftly wearing both his body and mind down. For a split second, Link allowed himself to glance downward, long enough to see the deep crimson tint the water was starting to acquire.

He felt nauseous just looking at it. It was either that or from the blood loss, it was difficult to tell which. The color of it was deep, far too deep to be healthy. Looking at it, at the amount that flowed, caused a greater concern. If, by some miracle, he did make it out of here, how much farther would have have been able to go? That was answered sooner than he would have cared for, as he stared into it; it blurred and swirled dangerously. Everything seemed to tilt for a moment before he was able to right himself and force himself to raise his attention once more.

A gasp sounded out as he realized his mistake. He lost his attention for too long, his other self was again gone from his sight. The only thing he could make out was his own pounding and deafening heartbeat, accompanied only with his staggered exhales. Navi fluttered around him, her movements were also frantic and bewildered while she bounced around, desperately trying to regain tabs on the foe.

He whipped around at the sound of a drop...nothing but mist. Again, a sound caught his ear and he turned to face it only to be met with nothing. His head was spinning, every inch of his body protested with the sharp and unwarranted movements. It sounded as though there was something all around him; he could feel it flowing by. A light breeze here and a cool glance there.

Without an idea of what to do, the young hero took a wary step back. His feet were dragged through the thin pool, a trail of red followed after him, all the way until his back pressed against the rough surface of the tree. Breath held in his aching chest, the blond slowly looked around, still seeing nothing.

As another splash struck echoed around him, it dawned on him, and for a fraction of a second, his eyes shone with temporary clarity as they fell to look back at the water. Through the bloodied cloud, two ruby orbs pierced straight through, holding the green-clad man's attention thoroughly. Only a gasp had time to escape before it was cut short, stolen away by frigid jab through his core. It was freezing, icing over his lungs as they refused to draw in more air. His hand lost its grip on his blade against his will, and instead it wandered towards the source of this sudden chill, towards the left side of his chest. Trembling fingers reached to meet with the cold edge of a blade.

His throat was tight, too constricted to utter single syllable. Link coughed against the attempt to speak just as his legs failed him and dragged his knees to collide with the floor. They struck harshly, but the pain was lost on him, numbness chased it all away. Fingers now dug into the fabric of his tunic, and only now was he aware of the breaths that tore out of his aching chest.

Next thing he knew, moisture was assaulting the right side of his face as well as the front side of his torso. It took longer than it should have for it to register that he was no longer on his knees. Link gasped for breath, only for water to rush in instead of air. He coughed and choked against it, but it mattered not. This only invited more of the liquid in; the metallic taste from his own blood mixed in with it. Shadows wavered at the edges of his vision, pulsing along with his heart, slowing with every beat.

Water flowed around him, washing over him subtly with waves as something drifted around him. He couldn't move, his body no longer obeyed his commands. There was no more pain, at least, he felt nothing aside from the cold that wrapped around him.

"-ink." He blinked blearly at the familiar voice. His eyes pried themselves open...when they closed, he wasn't sure. "Link, get up."

Right, Navi, she was still there. Through the haze, he could barely see the shine of her form fluttering around. It was so bright, almost too bright. He squeezed his eyes back shut to spare them of the blinding discomfort.

It was no use, he knew it, there was nothing else he could do. His body was giving up on him, despite his need and desire to go on.

He had failed.

He failed himself.

He failed Hyrule.

He had failed Princess Zelda.

It was almost laughable. To think, he was supposed to have been the one to bring an end to Ganondorf's tyranny, and yet he was done in here of all places. To perish beneath a lake, a place no one would ever step foot into again. He cracked a single eye open, and it automatically drifted to gaze at his reflection, painted red.

He stared into his crimson gaze, watched it as the light faded from it, stared into it as the last shreds of life faltered and drained out. His attention never left that red gaze as dark shadows swarmed the rest of his vision, slowly creeping in until it framed his reflection's stare. That stare never left him, and even as his eye began to close, it continued to watch...unwavering.


End file.
